Friday, August 5, 2011
Refuse had created a dam near the 135th Street bridge, leading to flooding and potentially worse problems.
After the wettest July in more than 100 years, the village has taken action to prevent flooding along 135th Street — not to mention costly bridge repairs — by shelling out $100,000 to clear debris from the Des Plaines River near the 135th Street bridge. Trustees authorized payment not to exceed that amount to Christopher Burke Engineering, the firm hired to clean up the river to avoid potential harm to the bridge and flooding during inclement weather. A buildup of debris near the bridge had created a dam, contributing to flooding problems along 135th Street near the river, according to Village Manager Steve Gulden. While the river is under the jurisdiction of the Army Corps of Engineers, efforts to secure project funding from the federal …
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Abbeywood Drive homeowners say truck drivers are cutting down the side street and jumping a curb to get to major roads; village says police are stepping up patrols to crack down on violators.
For two years, residents say, it’s been happening. Truck drivers, intent on avoiding heavy traffic, have been cutting down Abbeywood Drive, relying on old maps or incorrect GPS data that tells them the quiet side street will take them out to the intersection of Dalhart and Veterans Parkway. The fact that the truck traffic is prohibited on the residential street — and that a road reconstruction project has turned Abbeywood into a cul-de-sac with no outlet to the main roads — hasn’t deterred them, according to homeowner Joe Schwartz. And for two years, Schwartz said, he and his neighbors have been asking the village to do something about it. “The road is not classed for truck traffic, but they still keep coming and then drive over the curb …
41.66042
-88.08331
Abbeywood Dr & Rockledge Dr, Romeoville, IL
/articles/residents-on-truck-traffic-safety-should-be-number-one-concern
/locations/4947368
Friday, July 22, 2011
Community policing effort allows officers to interact more with residents, makes police more approachable, officials say.
From neighborhoods to bike paths to outdoor events, the new Romeoville Police Department bicycle patrol will be there to work with residents one on one, according to village officials. Mayor John Noak and Village Administrator Steve Gulden were part of an official kickoff for the patrol Thursday afternoon. Although the patrol has been operating in a limited capacity for about a month, according to Assistant Chief Steven Lucchesi, its first official duty was to patrol Thursday night’s Rockin’ the Ville concert at the Deer Crossing Park amphitheater. Gulden said the initiative has been in the works for several years as part of the village’s efforts to boost the Community Oriented Policing (COP) program. “It enhances our community policing …
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Park improvements, road resurfacing, amphitheater amenities are part of Romeoville’s future.
The new downtown wasn’t the only major project on village trustees’ minds Wednesday —not by a long shot. A slew of improvements, from roadwork to park projects, was also on the agenda. Murphy Park Parks and Recreation Director Kelly Rajzer received the go-ahead to apply for an Illinois Department of Natural Resources Open Space Land Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) grant that could fund 50 percent of improvements at Murphy Park, 17 Montrose Drive. The grant could pay for up to $400,000 of the $1.2 million project, which includes a handicapped-accessible playground, splash pad, picnic shelter, restrooms and parking. Late last year the village applied for an IDNR Park and Recreational Facility Construction (PARC) Grant that could fund up …
Naperville firm awarded $28,000 deal to design a revitalized downtown Romeoville.
Nearly a decade after creating the original concept for a new Romeoville downtown, Hitchcock Design Group will continue its work to make that vision a reality. On Wednesday, trustees OK’d a $28,000 contract to retain the Naperville firm to design a redevelopment plan for the village’s downtown corridor. The area, currently dominated by the mostly vacant 10-acre Spartans’ Square shopping center bordered by Route 53, Alexander Circle, Phelps Avenue and Townhall Drive, is slated for a major overhaul in the years to come. The village has owned the shopping center since 2008, and plans to demolish the site to make way for the new downtown. “After nine years of testing the market … we have figured that this needs to be kind of neighborhood …
41.65327
-88.08051
N Independence Blvd & Phelps Ave, Romeoville, IL
/articles/board-oks-downtown-design-contract
/locations/4784024
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Revenues from Marquette district will help provide incentives to attract new business, fund capital improvements.
A section of the Route 53 corridor will continue to help the village of Romeoville fund capital improvements and provide incentives to bring businesses into the downtown area — at least for another dozen years. Trustees last week voted to extend the Marquette tax increment financing (TIF) district for another 12 years. Established in 1989, the district was originally scheduled to expire in 2012. But new state legislation is allowing the village to continue the TIF until 2024. Current state law allows municipalities to have 23-year TIFs. To extend a TIF to 35 years requires legislative approval. The district is bounded to the north by the property lines of several parcels north of Enterprise Drive; to the east by Illinois Route 53, a …
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
A hearing on the 2011-2012 budget will take place immediately following a village board workshop at 6 p.m.
Village of Romeoville trustees are scheduled to vote on an operating budget for 2011-2012 following a public hearing Wednesday night. The proposed $96.2 million overall budget represents a slight decrease from last year’s $98.2 million budget. At the March 23 budget presentation, Mayor John Noak said Romeoville homeowners will receive a property tax rebate in the form of a $20 credit on their water bills next fall. Paired with lower property tax assessments, that would translate to roughly $26 in savings for the average taxpayer. The current tax rate, set at $1.10 per $100 of equalized assessed valuation, will also likely be lowered, Noak said. Village Manager Steve Gulden said a public hearing will take place following Wednesday’s village…
41.639249
-88.112683
Village of Romeoville Municipal Center
1050 W Romeo Rd, Romeoville, IL
/articles/public-hearing-budget-vote-set-for-wednesday
1704085
/locations/5581587
Friday, April 15, 2011
The village of Romeoville is considering its legal options and might appeal the U.S. District Court’s decision.
A federal jury awarded a Romeoville man $46,000 Thursday after determining that a Romeoville police officer committed civil assault and battery while making an arrest during a scuffle at RomeoFest in 2007. In a complaint originally filed in Will County Court, Arturo Valencia accused Officer Michael Springborn of punching him in the face twice, including once after he had already been handcuffed, then pushing him to the ground before continuing to hit him in the head and body. The suit, which moved to U.S. District Court in June, also named the village of Romeoville, stating that as Springborn’s employer, the village was liable for the officer’s actions. The jury dismissed Valencia’s claims that Springborn used excessive force and violated …
Friday, March 25, 2011
Village is weighing its options for replacing the aging Montrose Drive fire station.
In 2009, the village purchased a three-acre site on 135th Street with the intention of building a brand-new Fire Station 1. The building was to replace the outdated station at 18 Montrose Drive with a modern facility. But tough economic times put the project on hold. Now, the village is revisiting the issue. During Wednesday night’s budget meeting, Village Manager Steve Gulden said village staffers are exploring whether it’s feasible to go ahead with the new construction—a project that could take seven to 10 years—or refurbish the existing 30-year-old fire station. According to Gulden, an attorney for the village said the renovation could be funded with tax increment financing (TIF) district money under one condition. “We can’t do any …
41.64417
-88.082841
18 Montrose Dr, Romeoville, IL
/articles/are-plans-for-a-new-fire-station-up-in-smoke-for-good
/locations/3784994
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Gulden: New hires will help cut costs, generate revenue.
Village Manager Steve Gulden said several new staffers will help boost the village’s bottom line. During Wednesday night’s budget meeting, he presented a plan to hire several new village employees, including an emergency vehicle mechanic. With a salary of $103,600, the new employee would be a certified fire engine mechanic—a position Gulden said will save the village money in the long run and even generate revenue. “Right now, we spend about $125,000 (per year) sending our fire vehicles out for repair,” Gulden said. By bringing the work in house, the village could save money and earn revenue by offering repair service to other local fire departments, he added. The new mechanic would also repair public works vehicles. Gulden estimated the …
Pat
8:57 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Grocery store, Hallmark, Ice Cream Parlor, Book Store..Wonderful ideas. I do hope they put up a place where kids can go and have fun. There is really nowhere around here where they can go. more ›